Process for coating wire

ABSTRACT

THE DISCLOSURE HEREIN IS OF A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING A COATING TO WIRE OR THE LIKE IN A CONDITINOUS MANNER, WHICH COATING ACTS AS BOTH A LUBRICANT AND PROTECTIVE COVERING FOR THE WIRE, TO FACILITATE EITHER STORAGE OF THE WIRE OR SUBSEQUENT DRAWING OPERATIONS TO BE PERFORMED THEREON. THE TERM &#34;WIRE&#34; IS INTENDED TO NOTE VARIOUS DIAMETERS OF THE MATERIAL AND ALSO SHAPES OF CROSS SECTION THEREOF, AND INCLUDES ROD OR THE LIKE WHERE IT IS DESIRED TO APPLY A COATING THERETO.   THE COATING IS EFFECTED BY PRELIMINARILY CLEANING THE WIRE AS BY SHOTBLASTING OR THE LIKE, SUBSEQUENTLY RAISING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE WIRE BY A PREHEATING OPERATION, THEREAFTER APPLYING THE COATING WHETHER THE SAME BE CALCIUM HYDROXIDE, BORAX OR THE LIKE, AND SUBSEQUENTLY DRYING THE COATING, ALL OF THE FOREGOING BEING EFFECTED WHILE THE WIRE OR ROD OR MATERIAL IS MOVING SO THAT A CONTINUOUS COATING OPERATION IS PERFORMED AND THE USUAL COILING AND RECOILING MAY BE OBVIATED.

y 4, 1972 R. s. BRATKO 3,674,537

PROCESS FOR COATING WIRE Filed Oct. 50, 1969 Fig. 4

INVENTOR. RUDOLPH 5. Bremwo United States Patent Ofi 3,674,537 PROCESS FOR COATING WIRE Rudolph S. Bratko, 10712 Harvard Ave., Cleveland, Ohio 44105 Filed Oct. 30, 1969, Ser. No. 872,501 Int. Cl. B44d 5/10 US. Cl. 11749 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The disclosure herein is of a method and apparatus for applying a coating to wire or the like in a continuous manner, which coating acts as both a lubricant and protective covering for the wire, to facilitate either storage of the wire or subsequent drawing operations to be performed thereon. The term wire is intended to note various diameters of the material and also shapes of cross section thereof, and includes rod or the like Where it is desired to apply a coating thereto.

The coating is effected by preliminarily cleaning the wire as by shotblasting or the like, subsequently raising the temperature of the wire by a preheating operation, thereafter applying the coating whether the same be calcium hydroxide, borax or the like, and subsequently drying the coating, all of the foregoing being effected while the wire or rod or material is moving so that a continuous coating operation is performed and the usual coiling and recoiling may be obviated.

THE PRIOR ART Heretofore in coating wire or similar products as suggested herein, the wire in coiled condition has been subjected to a pickling process involving the use of acid and similar materials which are dangerous and require special handling facilities. In addition to this problem, the wire has been coated while in the coiled form and the wellknown objections to this method, involving as they do, the usually incomplete coverage which results because of the necessity to rinse carefully, and because the coating is effected in what may be termed batches or coils, requiring a great deal of space because of the time element and handling problems involved by reason of the necessity to dry and the usual inability to elfect this completely. Since rinsing of the acid material from the coils is not always effected as thoroughly as it should be, and thus the subsequent coating of calcium hydroxide, borax, phosphate or the like is not satisfactorily distributed over the surface of the wire or like material, the surface is not protected and the necessary and desired provision of lubrication during subsequent drawing of the wire does not take place.

The present invention involves the provision of a method in which wire or like product, such as rod or similar material, may be moved continuously from a suitable source, possibly uncoiled from previously coiled condition, cleaning the surface of the wire by passing the same through shotblast or similar equipment, and thus thoroughly cleaning the entire surface thereof, subsequently passing the wire through a bath of heated water whereby the temperature of the wire may be raised substantially while rinsing the same, so that in the subsequent step of effecting the coating, the continuous nature of the process is taken advantage of in that coating may be applied while the wire is moving without the necessity to rely upon the coating material itself to heat the wire, and subsequently drying the material by passing the same into an area where it is heated sufiiciently to effect said drying, and thereafter directing the wire or rod or the like to drawing or coiling equipment, the foregoing suggesting the various objects of the invention including the Patented July 4, 1972 ability to effect continuous movement of the wire for coating, and thorough application of the same to the surface, which is desirable to reduce the wear on drawing dies or the like.

Another object of the invention is to effect the application of the coating material, which may be calcium hydroxide or the like, as by pouring it over the moving wire, the coating being drawn from a bath in which the material not retained upon the surface of the wire as it moves along, pours back into the bath and is recirculated through the pouring apparatus, so as to maintain the suspended condition desirably provided therein, the bath further involving maintenance of the temperature within close limits to prevent crystalization of calcium hydroxide or other materials having a similar tendency which may often take place.

Another object of the invention is to provide for the use of the process hereof, where borax is used in solution, in this instance the wire passing through the bath comprising a borax solution in a slush box and otherwise availing of the various aspects of the method heretofore referred to in reference to calcium hydroxide.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel apparatus which will facilitate the carrying out of the coating method heretofore described within a minimum distance of travel, so that the area occupied by the apparatus will be relatively small and yet effective coating be provided by the method previously set forth.

Other and further objects of the invention will be understood from a consideration of the specification appended hereto and disclosed in the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation, somewhat diagrammatic, illustrating the equipment availed of in carrying out the process hereof.

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view, likewise somewhat diagrammatic, illustrating in further detail certain of the constructional features of the preheating portion of the apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken about on the line B-B looking in the direction of the arrows, of FIG. 1, showing further in some detail and in certain diagrammatic aspects, the coating unit of the apparatus hereof.

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken about on the line C-C of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, to illustrate the drying portion of the apparatus hereof.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the apparatus disclosed herein is incorporated into what may be termed a unitary system involving as indicated generally and in certain instances largely diagrammatically, a shotblast unit designated 1, a preheating unit designated 2, a coating unit designated 3, and a drying unit designated 4 generally.

The shotblast unit 1 is not described in detail as it is a well-known item provided for cleaning similar articles and the material to be coated, in this instance to be designated hereinafter as wire and indicated at A, A, passes through such shotblast unit and is thoroughly cleaned by the application of a suitable cleaning mate rial to the entire surface of the wire as it moves from left to right in FIG. 1.

It may be noted that in shotblast apparatus such as that of the unit 1, certain scale or other loose material may be carried by the wire A as it passes through, and it is therefore desirable to not only rinse this material off the surface of the wire, but likewise to heat the wire in the so-called preheat unit 2.

As indicated in the drawing, the preheat unit 2, and FIG. 2 is referred to specifically, is a generally rectilinear tank-like unit, including a main tank 5 having the bottom 6 and upright sides 7 and 8 with suitable ends 9 and 10.

The tank is supported on suitable legs such as 11, and in turn the legs support a burner suggested at 12, this really being a series of burners 12 as indicated in FIG. 1, which burn gas and are provided to heat water which is contained in the tank 5. The tank 5 may be provided with a series of stacks such as 13, extending upwardly from the bottom 6, whereby the products of combustion may be carried upwardly through the tank, the water in the tank surrounding such stacks, and thus the extra heat may be transferred to the water to maintain the temperature of the water so as to provide for heating the wire A as it passes through this tank in a manner now to be described. It is intended that the wire A shall be heated to a temperature of about 160 degrees Fahrenheit, and to this end a trough-like member designated 14, is provided, having the upright sides 15 and 16 with ends such as indicated at 17, which terminate about on the line indicated at 18 at the upper edge portions thereof, the sides 15 and 16 as to their edge portions extending slightly thereabove.

In the ends 17 of the trough 14, suitable slots such as 19 are formed, for purposes which will be understood as this description proceeds.

The bottom 19a, of the trough 14 is perforated as indicated at 20, so that the Water in the tank 5 will seek its own level within the trough 14 corresponding to the level of the water in the tank 5.

It should be noted that the ends 17 of the trough 14 are spaced slightly from the ends 9 and of the tank 5, so that water which is directed into the trough 14 in a sufficient quantity will overflow through the slots 19 and back into the tank 5, the ends 9 and 10 of the tank 5 being equipped with similar slots to the slots 19, which tank slots are designated 21.

The water contained in the tank 5 is intended to be circulated by a pump 22 of any conventional form, the water passing from the bottom of the tank 5 through an intake pipe 23 to the pump 22, and thence being pumped upwardly through the line 24 to the trough 14 at the side 16, thereof, for example.

It will be observed, therefore, that as the pump 22 is operated and the water circulated thereby, said water will be directed through the line 24 in the trough 14 in a sufiicient quantity so that the wire A lying in the slots 19 and 21, will be flooded or submerged by the circulating water and as the wire A passes from left to right through this heated water, will in turn be heated to the desired temperature of 160 degrees or thereabouts as previously indicated.

It may be pointed out that a top 25 is provided and hinged at 26 so that it may be opened and the wire A positioned within the slots 19 and 21, passing through the tank as indicated in FIG. 1 and to the next unit 3 which is designated the coating unit.

The coating unit is further shown in detail in FIG. 3 comprising, in this instance, a generally rectilinear outer tank generally denoted 27 which includes opposite sides 28 and 29 with ends such as suggested at 30; this description designating these members 30 as ends in order to indicate that they are about parallel with the ends such as 10 of the preheat unit 2 previously described in detail.

In this instance, the tank 27 includes the bottom 31 and supported within the tank 27 is a further tank generally designated 32 of a sufiicient size to provide for the confiining between the two tanks of a heat transfer solution which may be of a generally known proprietary nature, but which is intended to increase the ability to transfer the heat to the tank 32.

Since the tank 32 is a generally rectilinear tank likewise as the tank 27, it includes a bottom 33 and sides 34 and 35 with an end such as 36 spaced from the end 30 previously mentioned.

It will be noted that the heat transfer solution is confined between the two tanks, and only a suitable expansion area is provided with the tank 32 intended to have 4 supported therewithin a suitable coating solution, which in this instance may be a suspension of finely divided calcium hydroxide having a high specific surface.

The purpose of the high specific surface is of course to provide for a better coating application, and the arrangement herein described of the double tank, is to provide for heating this calcium hydroxide solution or other similarly composed solution, so that the crystalization of the calcium hydroxide will not occur.

It is contemplated by the arrangement herein that by heating the heat transfer solution in the tank 27, the heat will be in turn transferred to the calcium hydroxide or similar solution within the tank 32, so that the temperature of the solution within the tank 32 is maintained betweet degrees F. and 200 degrees F. It is known that crystalization will be minimized if this temperature range is maintained, and provisions hereof are intended to do just that.

-In order to heat the heat transfer solution within the tank 27, a series of burners such as 38 may be provided beneath the tank, and supplied and controlled in the conventional manner so as to provide the necessary heat to maintain the heat transfer solution in the range stated.

Within the tank 32, the calcium hydroxide solution is directed to a trough-like unit designated 40 generally, including the bottom 41 and the spaced sides 42 with an end such as indicated at 43 having the U-shaped slot 44 therein.

The bottom 41 of the trough 40 is perforated as indicated at 45 so that the solution within the tank 32 will seek its own level within the trough 40. It should be explained that the trough 40 is sometimes designated as a slush box when other than lime or calcium hydroxide solutions are used since it acts to slush the solution therewithin over the wire A passing therethrough, the wire A being obviously positioned within the U-shaped slots such as 44 in the trough ends 43. 1

It should also be noted that the trough 40 or slush box is arranged so that the ends 43 thereof will be spaced slightly from the ends such as 36 of the tank 32 so that liquid and in this instance the calcium hydroxide solution will be generally retained Within the tank 32.

In order to provide for circulating the calcium hydroxide solution within the tank 32 and so as to facilitate pouring of the same over the wire A, suitable nozzles such as indicated at 46 are provided, in longitudinal spaced alignment so that the ends 47 thereof will direct solution from the manifold 46a onto and flood the wire A as it passes through the slots 44.

In order to effect delivery of the solution from the tank 32, a suitable outlet at 48 is provided, leading such solution to a pump 49, and thence to a supply line 50 and through a tee 51, thence upwardly through the line 52 to the manifolds 4 6a previously mentioned.

Suitable manipulation of the valve 53 is resorted to, to permit the flow of liquid to the line 52 and likewise it is necessary to close a further line 54 by manipulating the valve 55, leading thereto, the valve 55 permitting the flow to be directed to the line 54 when other solutions than calcium hydroxide may be used Within the tank 32 and supplied to the slush box in a manner to be subsequently described.

It is noted that the calcium hydroxide in this instance supplied through the line 52 to the manifolds 46a and thence to the nozzles 46 and outlets 47 thereof, will direct the calcium hydroxide and flood over the wire A as it moves from left to right through the coating unit 3 which has been described heretofore.

It is noted that the wire A in passing through the slots 44 will also in most instances carry some residue of solution with it and this is permitted to drop onto the return trough such as 56 indicated in FIG. 1.

Where a different solution from calcium hydroxide is used in the tank 32 and for example, a solution of borax, is availed of, the valve 53 is manipulated so as to close the same and the valve 55 operated to open the line 54 so that the borax solution which has been placed in the tank 32, will pass through the line 54 into the slush box or trough 40.

The volume of material supplied through the line 54 is sufiicient in this instance to raise the level within the trough or slush box 40 so that the borax solution will now surround the wire A and pass outwardly through the slots 44 back into the tank 32 since the slush box or trough 40 is of less length than such tank.

The purpose of having a circulating pump such as 49 in this instance is to maintain the various particles of material in suspension while the same is moved, and to also assure of the uniformity of temperature maintenance which is desired where calcium hydroxide or other materials which tend to crystalize or settle out are availed of.

Turning now to a consideration of FIG. 4 wherein the drying unit of this invention is positioned, and disclosed, it will be seen that this unit designated 4 comprises what is in effect an open top tunnel being generally a U-shaped area having suitably insulated sides such as 57 and 58 suitably spaced one from the other, with a bottom 59 similarly insulated.

At the upper and lower portions of the sides 57 and 58 are suitable manifolds such as 60 and 61 for supplying of gas or other combustible mixture to burners 60a and 61a, there being a series of these as will be understood so that the flame is directed about as indicated, toward the center area of this tunnel or trough member.

The sides 57 and 58 may be supported by a series of leg members 62 and 63 respectively, being substantially identical, and a series of openings with covers 64 supplied on one side of the heating unit hereof so that access may be had thereinto.

It may be desired to pass the wire A through the oven for a sufiiciently long time under certain conditions to assure complete drying of the coating previously supplied in the coating unit 3, and to this end sheaves such as 66 and 67 may be supplied at opposite ends of the heating unit, and supported on suitable pillow blocks such as 68 and 69 respectively.

These sheaves 66 and 67 are intended to have the wire A reaved thereabout if desired, so that more than one lap may be provided for, the sheaves obviously being of sufficient width to support such reaving.

It will thus be understood that as the wire passes over the sheaves and at the upper portions thereof, and thence around and along a lower lap such as 70, the wire may thus travel through the heating unit for a greater distance or longer period of time, and in fact several laps of wire may be likewise accomodated.

It is intended that the time within which the wire remains in the oven can be determined by the speed of movement of the same and likewise by the number of laps of the same as it may be reaved about the sheaves 66 and 67.

Under some circumstances the wire A will pass directly through the heating unit in the areas to which the flame of heat is directed so that it may thereupon pass outwardly therefrom and have assurance that the coating is dried irrespective of the type of material of coating applied or thickness of wire or other conditions which can be accommodated for by the arrangement disclosed herein.

Suitable hood means may be provided above the entire apparatus involving the heat so that the products of combustion may be carried 011 where necessary, all within the ability of the art to provide for the same.

I claim:

1. The method of coating a wire with a drawing lubricant which comprises continuously moving uncoiled wire, having scale on the surface thereof and successively performing the steps thereon of abrasively removing the scale from the wire surface, thereafter preheating the wire and cleaning the surface thereof by passing the wire through a heated liquid bath, thereafter applying a heated, dryable alkaline slurry lubricant coating thereto, and then heating the coated wire to dry the same, all such steps being effected successively during movement as stated.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the moving wire is preliminarily cleaned by shot-blasting the surface thereof.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the moving wire is preheated by passing the same through hot water.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the material to be coated is bathed in a coating solution maintained at a temperature below which crystalization of constituents of this solution which would prevent adherence of such solution to the surface, would occur.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the moving wire is preheated by passing the same through hot water to raise the temperature of the wire to about degrees F.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the moving wire passes through an aqueous solution of borax maintained at a temperature of from degrees F. to 200 degrees F.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coating is supplied from a bath comprising a susension of finely divided calcium hydroxide having a high specific surface and applied by pouring the same on to the surface of the moving wire.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the bath is heated to a temperature of about 190 degrees F. to not over 200 degrees F.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the pouring of calcium hydroxide is directed so that any excess thereof not retained on the moving wire is returned to the bath to provide circulation thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,837,159 12/1931 Fellows 134-15 2,610,926 9/1952 Chase et al. 117-128 X 2,875,111 2/1959 Wilkinson et al. 117128 X 3,144,361 8/1964 Kinghoffer 1486.15 X

RALPH S. KENDALL, Primary Examiner C. WESTON, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

